Specifications
Year: 1958
Status: Cancelled
Manufacturer(s): Industrie Meccaniche Aeronautiche Meridionali (AERFER) - Italy
Production: 1
Capabilities: Fighter; X-Plane;
Status: Cancelled
Manufacturer(s): Industrie Meccaniche Aeronautiche Meridionali (AERFER) - Italy
Production: 1
Capabilities: Fighter; X-Plane;
Crew: 1
Length: 31.50 ft (9.6 m)
Width: 24.61 ft (7.5 m)
Height: 10.76 ft (3.28 m)
Weight (Empty): 5,291 lb (2,400 kg)
Weight (MTOW): 7,793 lb (3,535 kg)
Length: 31.50 ft (9.6 m)
Width: 24.61 ft (7.5 m)
Height: 10.76 ft (3.28 m)
Weight (Empty): 5,291 lb (2,400 kg)
Weight (MTOW): 7,793 lb (3,535 kg)
Power: 1 x Rolls-Royce Derwent 9 turbojet engine developing 3,600 lb of thrust; 1 x Rolls-Royce Soar RSr 2 auxiliary turbojet engine developing 1,810 lb of thrust.
Speed: 671 mph (1,080 kph; 583 kts)
Ceiling: 39,370 feet (12,000 m; 7.46 miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 2,665 ft/min (812 m/min)
Ceiling: 39,370 feet (12,000 m; 7.46 miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 2,665 ft/min (812 m/min)
Operators: Italy (cancelled)
First flight of an Ariete prototype occurred on March 27th, 1958. The auxiliary engine was meant to add considerable output power for the compact, lightweight fighter and drew its air through an interesting, retractable, dorsally-mounted intake. The primary engine fit was still aspirated through the nose intake ductwork. Its close association with the earlier Sagittario 2 meant that many qualities of this new aircraft were carried over - the low undercarriage height, bubble canopy and conventional tail unit being some. Proposed armament for the fighter role was 2 x 30mm HDD-825 series internal cannons though these were never fitted.
The Ariete program produced just one flyable prototype with a second airframe laying incomplete. There was thought given to replacing the thirsty auxiliary turbojet in the aft section of the fuselage with a simpler rocket booster unit - to produce the AERFER "Leone" prototype - but this initiative was not followed through. To that end, the Ariete completed the line of high-performance aircraft begun in the pre-World War 2 years with the AERFER S.7 prop-powered racer.
Performance specifications for the Ariete included a maximum speed of 675 miles per hour, a service ceiling up to 39,360 feet, and a rate-of-climb nearing 2,665 feet per minute.
Armament
PROPOSED:
2 x 30mm HDD-825 internal cannons.
Variants / Models
• Ariete ("Ram") - Base Series Name
